


Aranea Serket's Titular Exposition Stand

by atypicalActivator



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Aspects, Class and Aspect, Classes, Explanations, Exposition, God Tier, Mindfang - Freeform, Titles, Windbag, Windfang
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-10-28
Updated: 2012-12-03
Packaged: 2017-11-17 04:53:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,674
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/547821
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/atypicalActivator/pseuds/atypicalActivator
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Exposition on Titles and Aspects = -5 8oon8ucks </p><p>If you ever wondered a8out what your title is or just how Doom works, here is the stand for your ear to 8e informatively talked off. Got the Tiger 8ut don't know how to ride it?<br/>All questions will 8e answered.<br/>Su8mit a title to explain now!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Requests Open

The Exposition Fairy is IN


	2. Heir of Hope

AG: Wow! Thank you all – I had not expected such a positive response to my stand. It is good to find people who appreciate a good explanation.

AG: Now, onto the first request – the Heir of Hope.

==> What is the purpose of the HEIR OF HOPE

AG: Firstly, 8e aware that there are pairs in 8oth aspect and titles. Titles seem to 8e arranged into Passive / Active pairs, although aspects are arranged into pairs of Complementarity. The aspect, as any good S---g player knows, is the 'element' or 'medium' which you interact with 8ased on your title. However, not all pairs are directly opposed to each other. That is to say, some, such as Life and Void, are opposites – a clash 8etween their Aspects would result in either strife or stalemate, although the players might [expectedly, even] 8e good moirails. Used together, though, would cover nearly all possi8ilities within that pair.

AG: Others, such as 8lood and 8reath, are almost a half-turn away from each other. What this means is that although they are different, they interact constructively and make for very good teams. However, 8etween the two of them there will 8e shortcomings. This is reason for the setup of the alignment of the titles and aspects such that there are 8uilt-in triads spanning multiple pairs and passivities. 8ut I digress for the moment.

AG: All pairs, no matter how the two mem8ers of it function, all have a unified end. The role you asked a8out, the Heir of Hope, is an Heir – a active connection title – and is a half-step away from its passive pair, the Maid. The Aspect of Hope is another complementary half-step pair with the Aspect of Heart – 8oth aspects related to thoughts of the future.

AG: The way that passivity or activity is expressed in a title is 8ased on whether it is in a halfpair or a fullpair. Halfpair titles are related to how the user functions with their aspect – a confusing interaction, 8ut still one that is understanda8le. In halfpair titles, the active mem8er will 8e 'ruler' of the aspect, while the passive mem8er is 'su8servient' to the aspect. The way that this works will 8ecome clear later

AG: The Heir / Maid pair is a8out connection with the aspect. Maids will find themselves 8eing controlled 8y their aspect. This is not to say that they have no choice in what they do, though. And it is also not to say that their aspect will use them maliciously! Instead, the way that their aspect will use them will reflect their innate desires and goals. They also can re8el from the control of their aspect, 8ut they will lose the protection that it comes with. It is not so much control as much as it is you and the aspect working together, 8ut the aspect controls when it expresses itself. There is a feed8ack cycle, 8ut 8oth you and your aspect must cooperate. And your aspect will always cooperate.

AG: An Heir is opposite. The Heir finds themselves in a place of power over the aspect, where they have full control over the usage and intensity of the powers they are endowed with. An Heir will find connection with their aspect, however in a different way than the cooperation of the Maid. Instead, an Heir will find that use of their aspect comes intuitively, almost as if it 8ecomes a part of your psyche that has always 8een there. Indeed, the Heir will soon wonder what their life was like 8efore S---g. They are focused on their aspect, and their aspect is focused on them. It is quite like a su8version of the Maid, as instead of the cooperation 8etween them and their aspect, the Heir's aspect is at their 8eck and call.

AG: Eventually they will start expressing their aspect even in their personality and their mannerisms. In short, their aspect 8ecomes like another lim8 for them – an intuitive part of them. Although they might not understand all the nuances of how their aspect works, they fully understand how to utilize it. Expect them to keep pulling out new tricks to use in 8attle as they experiment with what they can do.

AG: Of course, this is all fine as long as they em8race their aspect. A person who loves order and regularity will do poorly with Void unless they put that 8ehind and em8race the chaotic and interruptive nature of their aspect. Many Mythological Roles seem to 8e given to either challenge or accommodate the player. As a rule of thum8, the harder your role is to fit, the more powerful you will 8ecome if you can grow into it.

AG: The Title of Heir, 8eing the active Title of Connection, is almost always the title the most tuned-in with their aspect. This does not mean that it is the most powerful or the most effective, though. Unlike the Maid, where the aspect can also call the shots for you, the Heir must make all the decisions. 8e sure to pair up with a player of Light!

AG: Now that you are partially 8riefed on the Title of Heir, I will explain the Aspect of Hope.

AG: Fundamentally, Hope is the Aspect of 8elief. This can 8e confusing, 8ecause the halfpair of Hope is Heart, the Aspect of Hope. S---g seems to appreciate these kinds of seemingly deli8erate misconceptions, 8ut accept it as you must many other things. Hope players are 8est known for the white Essence that is associated with Hope, just as there is a green Essence for Space, a 8lue for Life, et cetera. Interestingly, there seems to 8e one and only one aspect with an associated Essence per pair. 8ut I digress again.

AG: A Hope player understands and can control the 8eliefs of others and their own. 8elief is that which you assume to 8e true, not that wish you hope to 8e. In an attempt to make it less confusing, you can state that Hope is related to that which you have placed your hope in. Many of a Hope player's a8ilities are 8ased on that which they 8elieve to 8e true. Therefore, much like a Heart player, they are very good at misconstruing things – therefore making them the way they 8elieve them to 8e.

AG: A Hope player with a Title from the Destruction pair is dangerous. Not only will can they o8literate the use of many a8ilities and o8jects, whether or not they are incredi8ly powerful, much of what they 8elieve and work towards can 8e crushed – a symptom often exaggerated 8y the psychological effects of the Underworld Angels. Of course, they can also 8e very powerful, destroying enemies and even hard facts which get in their way only 8y truly 8elieving that they are otherwise.

AG: Again much like Hope's halfpair, Heart, Hope players tend to 8e dreamers which focus on what they want – they can 8ecome incredi8ly conceited! Of course this is largely negated 8y having a passive Class which is in one of the three fullpairs, Class fullpairs are focused on either self or others, such as Thief and Rogue. The Thief is centered around themselves, which the Rogue is centered around others. This has psychological effects which can change the trend set 8y Hope.

AG: The way that Aspects and Titles interact is much like the way that Godhoods are designed. Every Class has its unique design, which is the same despite the Aspect. However, it is fully colored in 8y the Aspect. Often less noticed, though, is the way that the Aspect makes slight changes to the 8ase design, adding or extending fa8ric in a way which makes every Title unique. The way that this affects a mentality affected 8y the often fatal 'title flip' has many implications, 8ut I'm going to stop this and get to your question.

AG: The Heir of Hope is inundated with the a8ility to affect their psyche and confidences. They can use this power to affect the state of the entire session, meaning that in very extreme cases, they can redesign the entire Medium merely 8y 8elieving it to 8e otherwise. However, they will struggle with vast mood swings, as the small changes in the way that they think affect the world around them, causing a feed8ack loop that can 8e disastrous. Even though they cannot toss the 8reeze or heal with a touch, they are a joker, almost a8le to do whatever they feel like, as long as no8ody tells them otherwise.

AG: Their purpose is to assist the others from a position not too far in front, where they might 8ecome overwhelmed and accidentally doom the entire mission. As long as they are not too informed, they can 8e very powerful. Like most Hope players, this Heir is not meant to lead – instead they should listen to what others tell them to 8enefit their team. Still, they are a force to reckon with alone. Even more so than most Heirs, they can invent an ever-changing set of attacks and casts which can seem to 8e limitless.

AG: Fully realized, they can 8ecome Hope themselves, their personality splitting to spread throughout the 'Fa8ric of Hope' to listen and influence other team mem8ers. They are almost like a hidden, very powerful weapon, which can change the tide of a 8attle or entire session. Expect them to 8e overly corny, and 8e prepared for several “if you only 8elieve” lines. Actually a lot of them.

AG: 8e sure to surround them with good friends who can keep them in check, though. If they 8ecome too am8itious, their wishes can inadvertently destroy more than they had hoped for! Their a8ilities can render others puppets to their whims, and they are not always with the 8est thought out or innocuous of whims. Possi8ly even more dangerous, they can 8ecome extremely depressed, and 8eing as tuned-in with their aspect as they are, the Heirs of Hope can 8ecome sour, resigned that all is lost, and therefore dooming any plan or attempt to fix things to failure. This makes their condition get even worse.

AG: In very 8ad cases, they will 8ecome angry with the state of their session, and if they are Derse dreamers, expect them to go Grimdark 8etween the Angels and the Other. They will title flip into a Thief of Hope. A very angry and unpredicta8le Thief of Hope. They will rip the Hope out of enemies, other players, and even inanimate o8jects, fueling a rage with which they can do practically anything. If they are God Tier, expect them to first destroy whatever they are 8laming for their failures, even if it is the 8lack King or worse, and then systematically o8literate their entire session. They are far 8eyond any hope of recovery 8y now.

AG: In short, recognize your a8ilities, 8ut also respect the responsi8ility that comes with them. Keep optimistic even when it seems stupid, 8ecause you will make things 8etter if you try to, 8ut not 8e afraid to ask for help. Heart players make for good teammates, as well as Rage and Light.


	3. Muse of Mind

==> What is the purpose of the MUSE OF MIND

AG: The Muse and Lord Classes are just a mythos of the S---g community. There actually are no such thing as a Master Class, despite the definite appeal to a player supposedly endowed with such a attri8ute. 8esides, even were there such a thing, according to the legends, they can only exist in a two player session. Such a situation could not arise without serious complications.

AG: Furthermore, there could only 8e Master Classes of either Time or Space. I'm sorry, 8ut there is no such thing as a Muse of Mind.

AG: Of course, if the multiple edition theory of S---g is real, the Master classes could 8e found in very young and untested versions of S---g. 8ut that is merely more speculation. Surely, there is nothing as gamebreaking as a Master class. The passivity of a Muse would carry horrible implications for that player, and was surely edited out of the game, assuming it was ever in existance before.

 


	4. Mage of Blood

==> I would like to know the purpose and powers of a MAGE OF BLOOD.

==> I know that this is my title but I do not understand what it means or how it works. Some have told me that it refers to ancestry, some told me it refers to bonds and friendships, and some have told me that it's a literal blood-warping caster.

==> That last one would be very interesting (and probably the least useless to my team's combat prowess) but it seems kind of ham-fisted.

AG: Thank you for this question – Mages tend to 8e a rare Class, and they are very interesting and su8tle, a perfect su8ject for an exposition. You are confused a8out the way that your aspect will manifest in you as a Mage; this is typical of new Mages. The 8lood aspect does not give you '8lood warping' a8ilities, although as a Mage, there are unique a8ilities rel8d to your aspect which cannot 8e unlocked in any other class.

AG: The Mage is the passive counterpart to the Seer. It is a halfpair which is 8ased on direction and choice. The Seer is well known for the inn8 understanding and prediction that it is given of its aspect, and is a very good person to rely on for inform8on. Of course, the Seer of Time and the Seer of Space are special cases 8ecause of the quantum determin8on of their aspects. For them, looking at the future of something can ensure the happening of what they see, often nullifying the 'choice' aspect of their class.

AG: The Seer works with their aspect in a way that is similar to the way a person might use a help desk of some large shoppareling esta8lishment, focused on a single topic. They can ask for a specific item, and the desk will give them the loc8on and possi8ly directions, if they are feeling particularly helpful. You can also ask for inform8on on the item, and can make choices on which item you are going to pursue. However, if you ask them a8out an type of item they do not carry, they cannot help you at all; if they do have it 8ut not in stock, they will tell you to w8 or suggest a possi8le su8stitute. Furthermore, they will not actually give you the item or the means to access it and take it home.

AG: A Mage interacts with their aspect more in the way that an adventurer interacts with a wealthy, cryptic, knowing, eccentric patron who is o8sessed with a single thing. Were they to set their heart on a certain artifact, their patron would give them the weapons and supplies they would need for their expedition and little more – as long as he approves the mission. May8e he would leave some notes on the path that the explorer ought to follow, 8ut no outright directions, or warnings that the Mage is going off course other than the failure of what they have 8een supplied with.

AG: In this way the Mage and the Seer 8oth accomplish the same thing, through different routes – the Seer is told how to do what they want to do, 8ut must find the means to do it, while the Mage is given the tools to accomplish what 8oth they want and their aspect allows. The Seer has an inn8 understanding of their aspect while the Mage discovers the nuances of the aspect they traverse. 8oth are given guiding instructions, 8ut the Seer is told what they should do and the Mage is told what they shouldn't.

AG: The Seer must find methods to achieve the goals they have set – they are a class with few Titular a8ilities, while the Mage will keep finding new tools and casts they can use to do what they have st8d they wish to. A Seer, if they veer off the path, are at a loss until they regain it again somehow. A Mage can come far off the road the ought to follow 8efore they even notice it, 8ut when they do, they naturally come 8ack to what their aspect has set, even if their conscious mind 8elieves that there is a 8etter way.

AG: The role of a Mage is that of a child pampered at times, chastised at times, 8y their aspect who is trying to help them to grow up. If the Mage resists the instruction it gives, their aspect will eventually leave them to do as they wish. A Mage is not given as much free rein as the Seer is to do as they please with the help of their Aspect, 8ut they are given much more assistance in what they can do.

AG: The ultim8 destiny of a successful Mage is to work alongside their aspect, almost as if they have grown to the point where they are not a coddled wriggler, 8ut instead an equal of their aspect. They will not 8e withheld help anymore when they do not do as their aspect wishes, 8ut after growing along with their aspect, the Mage will listen to their aspect on their own free will. Even if they choose to ignore the advice of their aspect, it will still support you. Of course, if the Mage routinely ignores their aspect, they would have never gotten so far.

AG: 8lood is a complex aspect, along with its halfpair, the Aspect of 8reath. Most aspects either involve a distinct element that they oper8 within, such as Space or Light or Life, or work in a deeper, more su8tle manner, such as Doom or Heart or Void. Especially Void. 8reath and 8lood are the aspects of Energy, and the way that a player uses them to interact with and manipul8 reflects this. Any civiliz8on advanced enough to develop the computer and the internet, meaning they have reached the level of development necessary for S---g to manifest itself, will have a concept of the two ways that electrical or 8iopsychic energy works.

AG: I... must admit to not understanding it much, 8ut from what I've heard, there are Altern8ng and Direct Currents – essentially pulsing and flowing forms of energy. 8lood and 8reath respectively correspond to these two forms. As S---g would have it, though, there are more intric8 ways that the two differ from the same theme. Interestingly, in Troll tradition, 8lood is represent8ve of sustenance in an organism, while 8reath is represent8ve of its impetus.

AG: 8reath, therefore, is the aspect of fluid force and assistive destruction. 8lood is the aspect of pulsing connection and reciproc8ng constructiveness. They are 8oth leaders who help those around them, 8lood 8y syncing all mem8ers together, and 8reath 8y aligning them in a mutual direction. If 8oth 8reath and 8lood are functioning mem8ers, their team should 8e nigh unstoppa8le, as they are two sides of the same coin. This kind of rel8onship 8etween paired aspects – they 8uild on each other using different tactics – is the theme of the three aspect halfpairs.

AG: Hope and Heart, Space and Time, 8reath and 8lood, they are all like different facets of a same o8ject; they are two aspects of the same pair. S---g loves this kind of meshing in titles, 8ut, as is seen with the Heir / Maid and Seer / Mage pairs, does it differently for Classes. 8ut I am severely sidetracked, and having given you enough inform8on for comprehension, must return to your question.

AG: The Mage of 8lood's role is to 8e directed 8y the Pulse. Your powers are wh8ver 8lood feels like you will need for wh8ver you set out to do. Of course, as you mature, you will 8e a8le to know what will happen as you gain a feel for what 8lood allows and what it does not support. You will gain a feel for what needs to 8e done to keep your team mem8ers cooper8ng, and may gain the a8ility to affect how people interact if it is what is needed at the moment.

AG: As mentioned in the Heir of Hope post, there are aspects with a colored Essence, and others which do not have one. 8reath has a 8lue one, 8ut as far as it is known, 8lood does not have an Essence. You will not have the a8ility to warp 8lood, since like most aspects, 8lood has very little to do with its name. However, your a8ilities are far from useless! Your modus operandi will 8e to predict what is 8est for your session and to then cultiv8 that through forging 8onds with and 8etween other mem8ers.

AG: You are responsi8le for maintaining the unity of your team, and if you accept this role, you will 8e given the tools you need to do so well. Like any child will feel towards a good lusus, you will likely 8ecome frustr8d at the limit8ons that your Aspect places on you. In time, you will 8e given more freedom, and with it, more spectacular a8ilities. 8lood may give you the power of the Pulse, 8lood's analogue for the 8reeze. This will serve you well in com8at, and when mastered you will gain a deep understanding of 8lood and the Pulse.

AG: Unlike the signature 8lue lines of the 8reeze, the Pulse is an invisi8le force. There is a note that must 8e taken: to non-8reath players, the 8reeze seems to 8e just that – a strong wind. However, it is actually the Essence of constant movement, which can affect any m8rial. Naturally, wh8ver medium it is used in will 8e most affected, and therefore air seems to 8e the cause, not the effect. The 8reeze is just as effective in any fluid, such as w8r or even plasma. The 8reeze will not keep you from suffoc8ng in space, 8ut that is not a pro8lem in the Medium, which itself is another fluid. Any m8rial, earth, fire, solid rock, can 8e moved as a wind would 8e – the 8reeze is a direct current of energy.

AG: Pulse is a vi8r8on which admittedly is not as dangerous as the flow that 8reath players are endowed with, 8ut it is no less powerful. When used, no effect will 8e seen at first, 8ut if maintained, will start to either reconstruct or rearrange an o8ject. The com8at a8ilities are more difficult to extract, 8ut the capacity for damage that is held in a ground-shattering earthquake is not to 8e sneezed at. The a8ility to redesign something is very powerful when used right. Re8uilding a Lich Queen into a '8etter' shape can result in it 8ecoming a tasty cake. A tasty, harmless cake.

AG: Like the 8reeze, the Pulse also has psychological elements that affect people who view you using it. Also like the 8reeze, the Pulse will sometimes seem to have a mind of its own. The way that it interfaces with you varies from person to person, and you must find your own system of interacting with it. Know that as a Mage, it may seem almost patronizing at first, 8ut know that you will grow and it will 8ecome more a partner to you. 8e sure to strike a happy 8alance.

AG: As a Mage of 8lood, you must 8e sure not to focus on one of the two elements of 8lood – the Pulse and the unity that is inn8. Any 8lood or 8reath has this struggle, 8ut it more important for you. As a Mage, you will 8e given casts to throw or the intuition to say something or do something to keep your team together. To only focus on dram8c exhi8itions of Pulse or to shun that and only talk pro8lems out with each other can work in the short run, 8ut eventually you will find that you are running your own path without the help of 8lood.

AG: You have 8een given a very complex Title. The Mage of 8lood will set a course and given resources to achieve that course. If you slowly drift from what you need to do, or if you fight the means you have, your session will fall into ruin. However, if you start working on the impulses and clues that your aspect hands you, you will 8e a8le to shine – not at the front line, 8ut as a leader who has the Ultim8 Reward in mind. Do not 8e afraid to do what feels radical if it feels right. Sometimes you will need to 8e a fighter, sometime you will need to 8e a shoulder to cry on. And more and more often, you will 8e called on to 8e 8oth.

AG: A friendleader is you!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remem8er that you can ask question pretaining to any element of a Title, whether it is questions on passivity or on Godhoods or the way that pairs are arranged.   
> I will exposit on anything within my a8ilities as a Light player!


	5. Entrapping the Striped Fangbeast

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Upon reaching the god tier, how does a player's aspect affect their ability to use their aspect? For example, what would be the difference in abilities between, say, a fully realized Rogue of Space, a rather passive class, and a similarly empowered Witch of Space?

AG: Thank you for asking this question! It is no simple matter to achieve the feat of maxing out your Echeladder and then even exceeding to performing the act of God Tiering, or 'Entrapping the Striped Fang8east', an increasingly popular phrase who's origins 8affle me.

 

AG: However, the God Tiers are merely the ultim8 manifestation of all the roleplaying 8onuses that you receive when you play correctly through the Game. Your question asks a8out the way that this affects various players of different classes and aspects – a topic which I would love to speak in depth on! First you must realize what affect Ascending has on every player.

 

AG: The most noticea8le attri8ute of reaching the God Tiers is the outfit – seemingly indestructi8le clothes that are made out of remarka8le m8rial, with sometimes rather... shocking design. The second most noticea8le affect, 8ut of far more importance, is the limited immorality that your receive with your new rank.

 

AG: Information on the details of the resurrection profess and terms are hazy at 8est, due to to the fact that few people rise to the level needed to activ8 the Quest 8ed, fewer yet die correctly on it, and even fewer still have their sprite with them for a long period of time to 8less with questions after they do.

 

AG: However, from what can 8e gathered, the decision of where you will stay permanently dead or 8e granted another chance seems to do with whether or not your death was a deserved one or a valiant one. Whether the choice is made 8y a higher entity, suggesting that there is an ultim8 law that transcends popular morals, or is 8ased on how the victim thought of their death in the moments 8efore finally passing away, is not known.

 

AG: Different Players will tell you different things, 8ut naturally is three are few who would volunteer to 8e scientifically tested on. Furthermore, some deaths seems to 8e tied to a physical o8ject working in a non-virtual plane. If this device is destroyed, the corresponding player's death is rumored to 8e permanent, even if it was due to something as insignificance as a papercut.

 

AG: However, the num8er of proven reports such as this can 8e counted on one hand. A tragic death for the people dying – if their death even occurred. I would suggest it to 8e a rumor such as the type that easily forms and spreads among people who are involved in a Game as detailed an and complex as S---g. Nevertheless, it cannot hurt to 8e careful.

 

AG: The God Tiers can only 8e entered when your Echeladder is completely filled, among other requirements. In a normal session, the process of filling it up can take a good part of a sweep, although it seems to 8e much easier in sessions doomed to failure. An Echeladder is a peculiar concept, unique only to players and specific o8jects. If you are the proud owner of an Echeladder (tm), you may 8e eligi8le to destroy your world!

 

AG: The Echeladder has 8een descri8ed to me as a com8ination of a Quest Log, an Achievement 8oard, and a Leveling Chart. I know little a8out the popular gaming meanings of these terms, 8ut I can easily notice some corollaries 8etween them and the S---g Echeladder.

 

AG: You Echeladder functions as a way that the Game rewards your for spectacular performances of a8ility. However, it will not always level up whenever you achieve anything great; sometimes you will come to certain levels that must 8e fulfilled 8y specific actions or realizations, such as defeating your first Ogre or throwing a hammer through three windows and suddenly understanding 8allistic physics.

 

AG: These requirements, although set from 8irth, should always 8e the next thing you are a8out to do – some people never notice there is difference 8etween these levels and other normal rungs. Interestingly, if you need to go out of your way to complete these, then you are almost surely in a doomed timeline!

 

AG: Your Echeladder is vast, and would take you a lifetime outside of the Medium, if not more, to ever fulfill it completely. If you reached a high point on the Echeladder outside of the Game, you would realize your Titular powers exactly as you would 8y clim8ing it in the Game. However to do so would require an extraordinarily long and active life. 8ut in S---g, that time is shortened to a few perigees, or much less if you are in a null session.

 

AG: As you progress, you will find that the achievements 8ecome more focused on acting like your title, a game concept known as 'roleplaying'. GodsGiftToGrinds has an in-depth explanation of Roleplaying in the S8ur8 Help FAQ. Although it is geared towards a different edition of S---g that the one my team experienced, it is still very applica8le.

 

AG: If you resist roleplaying correctly, it will 8ecome harder to continue rising in your Echeladder, making it harder to earn 8oon8ucks and 8uy Fraymotifs. Eventually you will 8e killed 8y the learning Underlings, unless you recruit the help of altern8 selves, Angels, or the OTHER. More a8out that l8r.

 

AG: A8ove the top of the ladder are the God Tiers. If you die on your Quest 8ed correctly, you will have not only 8lown off the top of the Echeladder, you will have entered a completely new type of leveling system, the famous God Tiers.

 

AG: After receiving your Godhood, you are ranked on another set of levels, although whether there is a definite limit to the num8er of rungs which may 8e scaled is unknown. Certainly if there is no8ody has ever reached it – clim8ing to the second level alone requires that you complete a one-time task: merely surviving without 8eing Doomed after the destruction / reset of a timeline.

 

AG: Sometimes, a particular entity can seem to level up another God Tier player, 8ut that is most definitely never the case and any appearances of such are entirely coincidence. With each level, you unlock new a8ilities, more powerful than the most powerful of Fraymotifs, which are rel8d to either your entire Title or your Aspect, 8ut never seem to 8e rel8d to Class alone.

 

AG: As an Ascended Player, instead of leveling up 8ecause you roleplayed well, the Game 8egins giving you vast roleplaying advantages after you level up. This means that players with different titles will drastically differ in how they express their titles after Ascension. Remem8er that many aspects are very mental, and will have a noticea8le affect on the psyche of the newly-God Tiered player.

 

AG: If you are trying to autopsychoanalyze, note that after you have Ascended, you will 8e com8ined with your Dreamself, who seems to tend to exhi8it suppressed tr8s of your personality. More often than not, these tr8s make you a more 8alanced personality; otherwise expect to 8ecome rather creepy or psychotic or 8oth.

 

AG: Therefore, although the passivity or activity of a class does have an effect, that effect is difficult, 8ut not impossi8le, to determine for a single person. Remem8ering that, the psychological st8ments I put forward for the twelve Aspects I know are 8ased on the general trend I've seen in players.

 

AG: Paradox Space really seems to like to pair things things up, as do many, MANY, M8NY other people I have met. However, it does so in 8oth pairings of true contrast and pairings of partial overlap. Within the S---g community, the two types of pairings are refereed to as fullpairs and halfpairs. The most o8vious fullpair is 8etween Prospit and Derse.

 

AG: The players are not aligned specifically with one dream planet or another, 8ut instead they are generally fighting to cre8 a universe. Thus, Players are halfpaired with Prospit, and the Denizens are halfpaired with Derse. The Horrorterrors are fullpaired with the Game itself.

 

AG: Prospit dreamers are halfpaired with the guidance of Skaia, while Derse dreamers are halfpaired with the Furthest Ring and choice. There are many, many other examples of this with the Game and 8eyond, 8ut I would digress.

 

AG: Aspects and classes, as mentioned in earlier expositions, are also paired. Within the twelve twelve Aspects and twelve Classes that I know in depth, there are three of each type pf pairing. That is to say, there are six halfpaired Aspects, three halfpairs in total, and six fullpaired Aspects. The same goes with Classes.

 

AG: Aspects are paired 8y what the aspects themselves are, while Classes are paired 8y 'Passivity', a varia8le which plays a deep role in how a Title is expressed. Therefore, I'll start with the class pairings!

 

AG: The three halfpaired Classes are the Prince and the 8ard, the Witch and the Sylph, and the Thief and the Rogue. The fullpaired Classes are split around how the aspect is channeled. The active fullpaired classes, the Prince, Witch and Thief, all manipul8 their aspect alone. Contrastingly, their passive counterparts – 8ard, Sylph, and Rogue – instead interact with their aspect through others.

 

AG: The Prince and the 8ard are Destruction classes. The Prince is one who destroys their aspect, or who uses their aspect in a destructive manner. A 8ard is a Player who destroys their aspect through others, or induces their aspect in others to cause destruction. The fact that the 8ard has to potential not to merely channel their aspect through others, 8ut to actually implant it in them, makes the 8ard a very powerful, and generally chaotic, player.

 

AG: The Witch and Sylph as form the Manipulation pair. Instead of working with what their Aspect has to give them, these classes directly affect their aspect. This typically gives them Seer-like understanding and Heir-like a8ilities. However, they lack the sense of direction associ8d with the Seer, and the a8ilities that they have are limited 8y how they can figure out to tweak their aspect.

 

AG: While the Heir tells their Aspect what to do and it accommod8s, the Witch and Sylph must tell their Aspect _how_ to do, until it does what they want. The Witch is one who externalizes their aspect using herself as a tool to do so. The Sylph is a player who manipul8s their aspect through other players.

 

AG: They are somewhat of a programmer of the world and as such can 8e very powerful. However, their powers rarely manifest to any great extent 8efore God Tiering, 8ecause of the difficulty of knowing how to actually get down to the nitty-gritty of their Aspect and the action happen that they are aiming for. The reason that Ascending makes this easier for them will 8e explained soon.

 

AG: The Sylph can do similar things with their aspect as what the Witch can, 8ut they must do it through other players. As a Sylph myself, I can give you an example. For me to affect a positive outcome for the general session, such as defeating a horde of underlings that just charged at a group of us, I must affect the 8eneficial Outcome (destroying the underlings, in this case) 8y nudging su8tly what my teamm8s 8elieve victory to 8e, though my actions and the cumulative chain effect that they have.

 

AG: However, if I attempted to radically rewrite 'Victory', such as changing the goal to 8e to get all the team to sit down and have with the imps, nothing would happen unless they personally agreed with the redefinition. I can't force them to affect the 8eneficial Outcome unless they want to. I can use my teamm8s as a channel or a tool to great affect, 8ut only if they open themselves up to is.

 

AG: A sylph can 8e a player as powerful as a Witch, if not more, as long as their teamm8s are trusting and flexi8le. Also like the Witch, the Sylph normally must Ascend 8efore they can make much of an impact, although if the Player is disposed to meddling and arranging things to happen already, it will 8e much easier for that Sylph to understand how to Play without Ascending.

 

AG: The Thief and the Rogue form the Accumulation Pair, and are characterized 8y 'Taking' their aspect. Their modus operandi is like that of a heat 8ased engine – to do work, there must 8e a difference in energy, which cre8s a potential that can 8e exploited. Therefore, they accumul8 'units of their aspect', wh8ver that really means, and then use them 8y releasing them 8ack again.

 

AG: If a Player of Accumulation dies while holding Aspect, there will a void of Aspect 8ecause it is destroyed, not released, then the player dies. For example, if an Accumulator of Heart dies, and that player has a lot of heart, everyone around will 8e disheartened. Okay, I guess that works? Furthermore, if a player's aspect is an essence aspect, the AG: Accumulative player can direct stored aspect straight into the essence, 8ypassing the normal aspect-rel8d action which releases Essence as a side effect.

 

AG: The active Thief will use their stored aspect for their own gain, whether their actions will help their team or not. They commonly use an excess of 8rute force of their aspect, simply 8ecause they can. The passive Rogue is more su8tle. They will often su8consciously collect Aspect using other players as they play, to slowly release it (also often su8conscious) 8ack into the medium through others, empowering them along the way. If they deli8er8ly use their Aspect, it will 8e to assist other mem8ers.

 

AG: The fundamental thing a8out the accumulation pair is that the active mem8er, the Thief, uses themselves as a... hold on, I can explain this through a metaphor! Imagine there is a vast 'sea' of aspect, 8ut a8ove that sea there is an equally vast 8arrier which cannot 8e 8roken through. You are standing on the 8arrier, una8le to access the sea. Other people are walking around on the 8arrier, also una8le to access the sea. Everyone carries some w8r with them.

 

AG: The more w8r you have, the more work you can do 8ecause you can pour the w8r onto a … ~~flappy turny thing~~ w8rwheel and drive a generator. However, the w8r will flow 8ack through the 8arrier and into the sea again after it is used? Now, you can take other peoples w8r, and hold it yourself. If you are a Thief, you 8oth steal the w8r and pour it onto your own w8rwheel, 8ut if you are a Rogue, you have to get it 8y askin other people to take it for you an then you pour it onto some8ody else's w8rwheel when they need it.

 

AG: However, 8eneath you there is a little hole that you can slowly suck w8r out of the sea from. It gets 8igger as your Roleplay Coefficient gets higher. So that way people can 8reak through the 8arrier and get more w8r even when their all out? 8ut then also if you take too much they have like negative w8r and can still do work 8ecause antiw8r like flows up and turns their wheels or somefin? i don really know how to explain it all i just do it.

……..

MEENAH THAT WAS _NOT_ A HELPFUL EXPLANATION AT ALL! That sounded like one of Cronus's weird creepy euphemisms!!!!!!!! 'Turns their wheels'? And why did it have so much to do with w8r and the ocean? Was that 8arrier actually penetra8le or not???????? And what was the whole thing a8out...

...Meenah?

Mee _nah_!

 

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AG: I'm really very sorry a8out that....... let's just move on here, I'm taking too much time up, or so I've 8een _thoughtfully_ informed.

 

AG: The halfpair Classes are the Heir and the Maid, Knight and Page, Seer and Mage. The active mem8ers act different from their passive pair 8y how they interact with their Aspect. The active mem8ers use their Aspect as a tool to roleplay, and are in full control of what do do and how. The passive mem8ers ofter have a power curve, starting with them working under their aspect's direction, until they learn to the point where they can work alongside their aspect as a partner.

 

AG: The Heir I've descri8ed earlier, 8ut I will reiter8 quickly. It is a Manifestation Class along with the Maid, it is active, and the Heir uses their aspect as a leader commands their armies to do 8attle. They will say what they will to happen, and their Aspect will do it, until it process of controlling their aspect 8ecomes a third (or fifth) arm for them. With this arm, they can do much, always developing new methods of doing the same thing, 8ut only if they learn to adapt to the new lim8.

 

AG: The Maid will Work for/with their aspect until they 8ecome connected with their aspect so firmly, they are immersed in it and treat it as another half of their 8ody. They make decisions with their Aspect, and they will cover for each other, making sure to protest the other half of their partnership. The Maid can 8e quite powerful, working and 8ecoming excellent with a slowly growing pool of unique a8ilities.

 

AG: The Knight and the Page can 8e confusing when compared with the fullpairs 8ecause they are highly focused on others, much like the passive mem8er of a fullpair is. They are the Protection Class, focused on the defense of others, allowing them to grow unhindered. The Knight uses their Aspect to defend those around them. The Page uses those around him to defend their Aspect. Just as in days of old, when Knights and Pages succeed, they are rewarded 8y their aspect, making them more effective and more powerful.

 

AG: For the Knight, this means that they can 8etter wield their aspect to protect, for the Page this means that eventually they will 8e using everything their aspect has so that they can protect it. The Knight is a very selfless class, compared to the Page, who can 8ecome antisocial or just a plain jerk if they do well. However, that is the way the Page is supposed to oper8, so they are pro8a8ly doing the 8est thing for the team if they acting like a dick.

 

AG: For naturally psyche-affecting aspects such as Heart and Hope, the Page is very, very powerful. As they manipul8 their aspect – to do so already requires working with other people – they will ensure the safety of that aspect 8y virtue of the fact that they are securing their aspect in people, whether themselves or others. 8ut there are a lot more other people than there are you, so to do well, they must use the entire team to defend their aspect – this goes for any Page, not just Heart and Hope.

 

AG: When they do so, their aspect gives them tools for succeeding, which make the affiliation even stronger. As 8elief or Desire 8ecomes stronger, it will start cultivating more of itself, until the entire team is working at maximum drive, and the Page is reaping the spoils. It is very 8eneficial for that session, and any session with a Page of Heart or Hope who can roleplay well is 8ound for success.

 

AG: The Seer and the Mage I have explained at length, 8ut I will touch on them again. The Seer guides using their aspect. They ask it questions, and it gives answers and the possi8le outcomes of their hypothetical actions, and then they decide the path they 8elieve to 8e the 8est. The Mage sets a direction, and if approved 8y their Aspect, will 8e given the tools to work down that path, unlike the Seer, who must figure out how to work down the path they choose.

 

AG: Some of the halfpairs seem more opposed than some of the fullpairs, such as the Seer and Mage. They work in polar ways, while the Prince and 8ard are almost identical. However, the 8ard is very passive, while the Prince is very active, and the Seer and Mage are 8oth rather in the middle of the passive / active continuum. The Classes are paired due to passivity, while the Aspects are paired according what they are – a more intuitive way of matching them up.

 

AG: You know what? I'll talk a8out the aspect pairings – just for a _little_ while 8efore I get to your question! Unlike the Classes, the Aspects have no passivity aside from the interesting fact that half the Aspects have a metaphysical Essence.

 

AG: Time and Space are a very 8asic and fundamental halfpair – they are the aspects of the most important properties of any session, Time and Space. Their interaction is limited to the fact that they work constructively together and affect the other's domain indirectly – very easy to understand for anyone with a physics schoolfeeding. Something to realize is that all Aspects are as 8uilt-in to the universe, or people therein, as those two are – after all, if they are part of the Game, and the Game is the 8uilder of universes, it is only natural that they are part of any universe's inn8 stitching.

 

AG: Hope and Heart are a halfpair, the aspects of 8elief and Desire. Due to the way the oper8, and their psychological implications, manipulation of them is cascading and will have effects far 8eyond what was originally done. I would go more into them, 8ut a friend of mine is telling me to shut up and move on 8ecause I already covered them.

 

AG: 8reath and 8lood are a halfpair, and deal with Energy, 8oth in people and in the physical world. 8reath is the Aspect of Direction and Force, while 8lood is the Aspect of Alignment and Momentum. These aspects are rather complex, so perhaps I may need to... _okay, okay, let me just say this – you'll agree with it!_ Players of either aspect shoooooooold make good leaders. *cough*

 

AG: Life and Void are fullpairs, completely and fundamentally opposed. Life is the Aspect of AG: Existence and Continuity, while Void is the aspect of Interruption and Chaos. A Life player will focus on keeping thing predicta8le and orderly – life is all a8out continued existence of an organism which 8uilds upon itself in an orderly way. Void players are all a8out removing or o8scuring knowledge and causing static and changing form. They will more likely than not 8e Derse dreamers and frighteningly okay with the Furthest Ring. They are very good at increasing the entropy of the universe, 8ecause Void is fundamentally the lack of order. A thought on Void players, possi8ly one of the most confusing and glitchy of titles, is that they tend to either 8e incredi8le at their Roleplaying their Title or horri8le at it.

 

AG: Just 8ecause the Life and Void Aspect are fullpairs does not mean that their players are at odds. Much like the God Tier Pajamas, the Aspect primarily affects the color of the person, and any good artist will tell you that opposing colors are complementary.

 

AG: Mind and Rage are very opposed. Logic and rationality is the forte of the Mind player, while Rage affects and cre8s emotions and primal instinct. While Mind players will plan and think out every move, the Rage player will rely on what they know they ought to do, and can channel the Essence of Rage into a flexi8le tool, skilled at 8oth creation and destruction. 8ut mostly destruction. Mind are Rage players 8alance each other out, and will either feel very pale for each other or very 8lack.

 

AG: Light and Doom are the final fullpair, and are the aspects of outcomes. They are a rather weak fullpair, 8ut could never 8e mistaken for a halfpair. Light is a well known aspect, the Aspect of Fortuitous Outcomes. Doom is actually not the Aspect of Death, 8ut instead the Aspect of Consequences. Rel8d more to Temporal Dooming than zom8ies, (at least in my edition of S---g), Doom has control over what is deserved and what isn't. Even so, they are still often powerless over the outcome of the Alpha Timeline, and can do frustratingly little due to the necessary shenanigans of the Time Player. Still the outcome they see need not 8e 8ad, as long as they are what is judged to 8e earned 8y the actions of those who will live it. Shall I go on?

 

READER: NONONO!!!!! I get it, move on!

 

AG: I'm very glad you understand! ::::)

 

 

AG: All these different purposes and meanings cre8s many contradictions and road8locks for a player interested in Roleplaying correctly. As they ascend their Echeladder, working to unlock the meaning of their Title will 8ecome easier, 8ut not 8y much. Even at the very top, they still cannot do much 8y themselves unless they are one of the lucky players with a Title that agrees with itself. Normally, this means that they can mess with the mental parts of a Titles, 8ut cannot use many of the essence or physical and com8at a8ilities, if their Title has any.

 

AG: Then after God Tiering, everything clicks. It is almost as if you turn a lock, and all the pins are misaligned until the key is completely in and turned. Other events than Ascending can also induce this level of understanding, 8ut they all involve outside forces, such as Angels or sometimes other Causes from differently conditioned sessions of the Game. Interaction with the Furthest Ring can give that level of understanding, 8ut also causes a Title Inversion and 8egins the formation of a new Eldritch 8eing. An inside agent of the Ring is very good for the Other against the Game, 8ut not really for anyone else.

 

AG: For passive titles, the intuitive and psychological capacities of your Roleplay will 8ecome stronger. Active titles will find that they can do much more and make even more flashy things happen, and 8ecome maxed out in terms of control over your aspect. For the aspects with an Essence, players can mess around with it and find how it affects things. Still you need to learn more, and as you ascend the God Tiers in your new universe, you will come to gr8r and gr8r understanding of how your title works and how you should work to fit it. In an ideal session, every player Ascends, 8ecause otherwise you will have little control over and even less time in your new universe.

 

AG: To answer you, after Ascending you will wake up from your Quest 8ed, stare are your dead 8ody though the Skaian clouds, and then you look at you hands, think a8out something internal that you couldn't figure out, and you say: ...so that's how that works. It is hard to explain to an non-player, 8ut it will make perfect sense to any real S---g player. I do hope that answered your question.

 

AG: I fear I may have diverged a little from the main topic, 8ut it was necessary to understand how Ascending will differently affect different Titles. The way you think will start 8eing more like your Aspect and the way you act will 8e more like your Class. You will in time 8ecome a powerful leader of your team, even through the Skaian Door.


End file.
